Method of packing tobacco



y 9, 19. H. p. TAYLOR 1.720.014

METHOD OF PAClfING TOBACCO Filed Feb. 18, 1927 Fr'q" 5 v .zz 25 F 24 32 l as L 7f) 1 W7 H 3% @MM'.

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Patented July 9, 1929.

HENRY I. TAYLOR, OF WINSTON -SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

METHOD OF PACKING TOBACCO.

Application filed February 18, 1927.

. This invention relates to an improved manner of packing tobacco in caddies, and especially to the packing of plug tobacco in caddies in such a manner as to preserve the original contour of the outer surface of the outer plugs of tobacco in a caddy of tobacco.

Heretofore it has been the custom to pack the plugs of tobacco in caddies and to seal the same by placing a head in the caddy, the head being a smooth piece of wood, and after the tobacco is placed in the caddy the back pressure exerted by the pressed tobacco will cause the end plugs to assume a smooth, slick appearance, and as a result the purchasing public will not accept these end plugs, because they in some cases become dried out and absorb some of the odor and flavor of the heads of the caddies, or boxes in which the tobacco is packed.

I am aware that efforts have been made to overcome this end plug appearanceby various means, such as the placing therein of a roughened head member, or by placing scrap tobacco between the head members and the end plugs, or by placing a pad between the heads and the outer plugs, which pad has ridges of leaf tobacco glued thereon, but these methods have not proven satisfactory to the trade, due to the expense of the same, or due to the scrap tobacco sticking to the end plugs of tobacco and in this way giving these plugs an appearance different from the plugs in the center of the caddy or box.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for packing tobacco whereby the end plugs will have exactly the same appearance as the plugs from the interior of the caddy.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for packing plug tobacco in caddies in such a manner as to cause the members placed next to the end plugs to assume the contour of the adjoining plugs and not to impress on the end plugs the contour of any other object.

Some of the objects of invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, which may be taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a caddy of tobacco packed in accordance with my improved method of packing;

Figure 2 is an elevatlon of the mass of Serial No. 169,240.

plugs of tobacco pressed together and ready to be placed in the caddy;

Figure 3 is an edge view of an improved plate which is to be used in the pressing of the tobacco before the same is placed in the caddy;

Figure 4: is a plan View of a plug of tobacco in its rough and ready state, as it will appear after being pressed with the plate 35, or as it will appear if taken from the interior of the caddy;

Figure 5 is an edge view of a plug of tobacco which is packed next to the head members in the old method of packing tobacco;

Figure 6 is an edge View of a plug of tobacco taken from the interior of the mass of tobacco in a caddy;

Figure 7 is an edge view of my fibrous, resilient pad which I use in my improved method of packing tobacco, before the same is used in the packing process;

Figure 8 is an edge view of the same piece of fibrous, resilient pad, shown in Figure 7 after the same has been used in my improved packing process and has remained in the caddy for some time.

I11 the drawings the numerals 10 and 11 indicate the side wall portions of a caddy in which plug tobacco is generally packed, while the numerals 12 and 13 indicate the bottom and top members, respectively, of the caddy, sometimes referred to as the heads of the tobacco caddy. The head members, after the tobacco is placed therein, are secured in place by the strips let, 15, 16, and 17 being nailed in place.

In carrying out my invention I pack a plurality of plugs of tobacco such as indil cated by the numerals 20, 21, 22, 23, 2 1, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,33, and 34 on top of each other ready to be placed in a press. If these plugs of tobacco are pressed with a press having fiat upper and lower surfaces the end plugs of the tobacco will have a smooth slick appearance. and will cause purchasers to see at once that they are the end plugs in the caddy of tobacco. After pack ing the plurality of plugs to tobacco together and before exerting pressure thereon, I place a metal member 35 having an irregular surface, such as is indicated in Figure 3, on the top and bottom of this batch of plugs. with these members 35 in place pressure is applied to the plurality of plugs of tobacco and the mass of tobacco is formed as incli cated by Figure 2 and the plate 35 will give the top and bottom plugs an irregular surface similar to the surface of the plugs of the interior of the mass of tobacco. I then place a piece of fibrous spongy material such top of the mass of tobacco 37 with a nonporous paper between the pad 36 and the )lugs 20 and 21. The caddy is then sealed y placing the head member 13 in position and securing the strips 16 and 17 to the members 10 and 11. This batch of tobacco 37 is placed in the caddy shortly after being pressed together, and after being sealed in the caddy there is a back pressure in this tobacco which causes it to expand toward the head members, and which heretofore has caused the outer plugs of tobacco to have the smooth slick appearance. This back pressure will compress the fibrous pad members 36 and the surface of the member 36 next to the-tobacco will assume a contour to agree with the contour of the surface of the plug of tobacco, and in this way the end plugs will have the same appearance as if they had come from the central portion of the batch of tobacco.

In Figure t I have shown the surface of a plug of tobacco which has the indentation 40 thereon with raised portions ll therebetween which gives the plug of tobacco what is known among manufacturers as the rough and ready appearance. It is the purpose of this invent-ion to retain this rough and ready appearance, so that the purchaser will be unable to detect the end plugs from the other plugs. The smooth, slick appearance which the end plugs have in the old process of packing is clearly shown in Figure 5, and the plug having the slick surface on one side is indicated by the numeral 38.

In describing my invention, I have used the word caddy to indicate the container in. which the tobacco is packed, but I desire it to be understood that the method is not to be restricted to the use of a caddy, but may be used in packing tobacco in any shape or size of container.

In the drawings and specification I have set forth a preferred embodiment of my invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims:

I claim:

1. The process of packing plug tobacco which comprises the superposing of a pluralityof plugs of tobacco on a plate having an uneven surface, placing another plate having an uneven surface on top of the superposed plugs, pressing the plates and tobacco together, removing the plates, placing a fibrous pad in the bottom of the packing box, placing the pressed tobacco in the box, placing a second fibrous pad on top of the tobacco, and securing the head in the box, substantially as set forth.

2. That process of packing manufactured tobacco which comprises forming a bulk composed of impressed pieces of tobacco, placing members having uneven surfaces on opposite sides of the bulk of tobacco, press ing the members and thetobacco simultaneously, removing the members having the uneven surfaces from the tobacco, packing the pressed tobacco in a box with resilient members between the bottom and top members of the box, and sealing the box.

3. That process of pressing and packing manufactured tobacco which comprises pressing the tobacco with an uneven surface impressed on the bottom and top portions thereof, placing resilient pads that will not adhere to the tobacco in the bottom and top of the box in which the tobacco is packed for shipment and sealing the box with said resilient pads between the tobacco and the head members of the box.

4:. That process of pressing plug tobacco which comprises pressing the tobacco with an uneven surface on the end plugs, placing a resilient pad in the shipping box, placing the bulk of pressed tobacco in the shipping box, placing a resilient pad in the top of the said box, and sealing said box while the bulk of tobacco is'under pressure.

5. The process of packing plug or twist tobacco which comprises pressing a series of plugs between members having uneven surfaces, removing the pressed tobacco from the press while compressed'and placing it in a box with fibrous pads in the bottom and top thereof and securing the bottom and top of the box while the tobacco is in its compressed condition. I

In testimony whereof I a'llix my signature.

HENRY P. TAYLOR. 

